The Pride Anthology
by Halunygin
Summary: A collection of stories around various sexualities and gender identities. For the Pride Month Challenge!
1. She's Just Not That into You (or Anyone

**A/N: So I found a challenge, the Pride Month Challenge, pretty self-explanatory, and discovered it pretty late in June, so I doubt I can do them all by the end of the month, but I'm still gonna do my best. This is going to be a collection, a oneshot each for some identity under the umbrella of LGBTQ+ and this first one is a fic for the Choose Your Own Wand challenge, wand springiness: medium stiff**

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 _Side note: I don't claim to be an expert on sexuality. I consider myself to be somewhere on the ace spectrum at this junction, but I don't want to offend anyone and I don't want people taking offense. This is for representation! So please read and review!_

 **Asexuality ~ Aromantic:** She's Just Not That into You (or Anyone for That Matter)

Luna Lovegood knew she was different. Not in the "she wears vegetable shaped earrings and butterbeer bottle cap necklaces" different. Yes, people thought she was strange for those things, as well as believing in creatures that weren't necessarily proven to be real, but Luna knew that she was just unique and had a creative mind. Before she died, her mother had always said to her, "Lu, don't ever pretend to be normal for everyone else. Be you, and your friends will love you more for it."

Luna followed that advice when she came to Hogwarts, no matter how many odd looks went her way or unkind words were whispered loudly behind her back. She never held back any facet of her personality and she even gained a couple friends that didn't immediately think she was odd.

Ginny Weasley had been withdrawn their first year, and rumors had spread that she was involved in the events of the Chamber of Secrets. Luna never knew for sure whether that was true or not until Ginny got her hands on a bottle of firewhiskey their fourth year and through drunken tears, explained everything in the confines of the girls' restroom on the third floor. At the time, Luna had been more concerned about keeping Ginny's hair out of vomiting range than the fact that she was once possessed by Voldemort himself. But even when Ginny approached her the next day, Luna shrugged it off.

"It wasn't your fault. You probably had Wrackspurts at the time as well. They make your mind more vulnerable."

Ginny responded to that with a big hug that nearly knocked Luna over. Ever since, the redhead would refer to Luna as her "best friend", and Luna would do the same, confident that even if she had another friend, Ginny would still be her favorite.

Colin Creevey was a different story. He and Ginny were relatively good friends from the first train ride, and he too did not hold a grudge against her for the Chamber of Secrets incident. Luna thought it would be rude if she didn't at least give him a chance. Ginny had other friends, but Colin was also an ostracized kid, only really bonding with his younger brother. Luna related to that and couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

Colin was overly friendly. He was always finding excuses to take Luna's picture or touch her arm while they were doing homework. He also never missed a chance to walk her back to the Ravenclaw common room. She knew Colin was a bit misguided on what boundaries meant, and she came on a bit strong sometimes as well, so it wasn't a big deal. That's what friends do, right?

Then Colin asked her, through stutters over breakfast, if she wanted to go to Hogsmeade with him.

"We already go to Hogsmeade together," Luna said in a puzzled tone.

Colin shook his head with a wry smile. "No, I meant without Ginny. Just the two of us."

Luna scrunched up her nose. "That doesn't sound very fun."

Whatever Colin was going to say to that blunt statement was interrupted by the arrival of the redhead herself.

"What are we talking about?"

"Colin doesn't want you to come to Hogsmeade with us," Luna replied, staring at Colin with a sort of shocked confusion. "Why are you being so mean to her? What'd she do?"

"Nothing," Colin insisted, giving an amused Ginny a helpless look. The redhead took pity on the photographer.

"I've got this. Lu, could I talk to you?"

Luna nodded and stood up to follow Ginny out of the Great Hall.

"You do know what Colin was doing, don't you?" the redhead asked.

The blonde nodded vehemently. "He was trying to make me ditch you!"

Ginny shook her head, a palm to her forehead. "No, Luna, he was trying to ask you out. On a date."

Luna widened her eyes and a shiver went down her spine. "Ew, why?"

Ginny snorted at this. "Why else, other than he likes you?"

"But I don't want a boyfriend! I just want lay in the grass and eat peppermint toads."

Ginny muffled her laughter with her hand and then said, after clearing her throat. "I know you don't."

Relief washed over Luna at those few words. She never had to explain anything to Ginny.

"But you have to tell Colin, I can't do it for you."

Luna nodded and walked back into the Great Hall, Ginny at her heels, where Colin was talking to his brother Dennis. Colin noticed her return and smiled.

"Colin," Luna started. "It has been brought to my attention that you were asking me out on a date earlier. I do not accept. Sorry for the inconvenience."

The smile on the photographer's face faded as Luna turned to leave the hall once more.

"I have the strangest craving for peppermint toads," Ginny pondered when Luna was gone. She grabbed a piece of toast from the stack and gave Colin a sympathetic shrug.

"Sorry, mate. She's just not that into you. Or anyone else for that matter."

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 **A/N: I wasn't trying to make asexuality sound taboo by not actually mentioning the term. Luna just doesn't seem like the type to use labels, and it actual sounds less like a big deal to me when it's implied.**


	2. My Boyfriend is a Beautiful Woman, Okay?

**A/N: The story is definitely not complete, but I'm marking it as complete so that it gets seen by more people. I know I don't browse the in-progress fics marked as such, so why should anyone else?**

 **I realize the title kind of sucks, but that's always been hard for me. Read and Review!**

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 **Drag Queen:** My Boyfriend is a Beautiful Woman, Okay?

"Unless you're a girl scout selling thin mints, we're not interested!"

Another round of knocking, and the door was yanked open to reveal a woman with short dark hair.

"I said-" she started with a growl before stopping when she realized who was at the door. "Oh, hey, Harry."

An amused Boy Who Lived stepped over the threshold of the penthouse apartment. "Thin mints, Pansy?"

The witch crossed her arms and scowled. "I have a sweet tooth, and if you tell anyone, you're dead."

"Oh dear, and what would you tell Draco?"

"The standard 'your boyfriend pissed me off so I had to eliminate him' spiel," Pansy replied with a shrug. "We live together, he knows I can't be held responsible for my actions."

"That's putting it lightly," Harry quipped, and Pansy stuck her tongue out at him. She and Harry often verbally sparred like this. Draco said it was her way of showing her approval of their relationship. He noticed she was wearing a blood red dress and heels to match, and a clutch in her hand.

"You going somewhere?"

"There's some charity event Blaise is making me go to," Pansy said, checking her watch. "But if he's not here to pick me up in five minutes, I'm taking my elegant ass down to the nearest muggle establishment and letting handsome idiots buy me liquor all night."

"Sounds like a solid plan," Harry laughed. "Is Draco ready?"

Pansy peered out the door, as if Blaise would pop into view any moment. "He's still in the shower, actually, but he won't be long. Oh, there's Blaise. Finally, thank Merlin!"

Harry smirked. He knew she didn't really want to spend her evening being hit on by creepy men.

"Have a good time," he said. She waved back as she shut the door behind her.

"You too!"

And now he was alone. He hadn't been to the apartment enough times to really feel comfortable waiting in the living room on his own, and he knew Draco wouldn't mind if he waited in his bedroom, so Harry made his way up the stairs. He could hear the shower still running from opposite side of the hallway.

Harry loved Draco's room. It was painted a muted shade of green, because Draco had house pride, but after seven years surrounded by that bright shade of Slytherin green, he was sick of it. There were also a few photographs of himself and Harry framed on the vanity. Like the one where Draco was wearing Harry's jumper that he had stolen. Said jumper was actually laying on Draco's bed now.

Harry thought he'd be a good boyfriend and put it back in the closet. Except he opened the wrong one, clearly. There were dresses on hangers and wigs on mannequin heads. Neat stacks of what appeared to be eyeshadow palettes and mascaras tubes rolling around shelves.

Why did Draco have all this stuff? Maybe it all belonged to Pansy and she ran out of space in her room?

He didn't hear the shower turn off or see the figure standing in the doorway until it was too late. Harry whipped around.

"Draco!"

The blond was standing in a black robe staring at the open closet door with a shocked expression.

"I was just-"

Before he could explain anything, Draco rushed out of the room and Harry heard the bathroom door slam shut and lock. Feeling like he had royally fucked up, Harry closed the closet door and walked cautiously to the bathroom.

"Draco?" he said with a soft knock. "I know I shouldn't have opened that closet, but I wasn't trying to snoop, I really wasn't."

He pressed his ear to the door. He could hear a faint sniffling, and his heart broke. Draco never cried. He pulled out his wand and tapped his lightly on the doorknob, muttering, "Alohomora."

He then opened the door to see Draco sitting on the floor against the wall with his knees pulled toward his chest. He looked up at Harry with red eyes and scrubbed furiously at his face.

"My face is wet because I didn't get a chance to dry my hair," he said thickly.

"Is that it?" Harry slide down beside the boyfriend and ran a hand over the matted blond hair. "You know you can tell me anything, Draco, and it won't change how I feel about you."

Fresh tears trickled down the Slytherin's pale face. "Right, and you'd just be okay with the fact that your boyfriend dresses up like a woman sometimes?" he posed in a scathing tone.

"If it made you happy, yes, of course," Harry replied firmly, kissing Draco's left temple. "Who am I to deny you part of your identity?"

Draco smiled weakly. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"I really do," Harry repeated, and Draco buried his head in his neck and sighed.

"We have dinner reservations."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, but I'd much rather see you all dolled up and model for me."

Draco's snorts vibrated around his collarbone. "I just showered, you berk."

"So shower again," Harry pointed out.

"I have a better idea," the Slytherin said, grazing Harry's neck with his teeth. "And it involves you wearing as little clothing as me."

Needless to say they missed their dinner reservations.


	3. A New Life Worth Exploring

**A/N: Whoo! I got another chapter up. New goal, get this completed by the end of July.**

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 **Lesbian:** A New Life Worth Exploring

Pansy Parkinson lamented her existence. She belonged to one of the oldest and richest families in the wizarding world. When she was younger, she pictured a future with a pureblood husband who was running for Minister, and she would spend her days shopping in Paris and suntanning in Hawaii.

The war had changed everything. The name Parkinson was laughed at rather than feared, now brought down to commoner status, and as for a husband...well, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Pansy had come to a startling conclusion after getting plastered at the Hog's Head and waking up in Susan Bones's bed.

At least it was startling to her. Draco hadn't seemed surprised in the least. "You were always talking about the girls when we were in school, and it wasn't always about their clothes," he said.

So Pansy liked women, and that didn't really bother her in the way her friends had expected. She didn't have a period of denying her true self, and she didn't cripple herself worrying about telling her parents. No, what upset her was the fact that this made it more difficult to get her married off. Apparently the average pureblood male wanted a demure girl who would obey their every wish, in bed or otherwise. Who knew?

Without her family wealth or a husband to support her, Pansy had to take her fate into her own hands, and somehow she ended up at a muggle bookstore. It was agonizing at times, trying to help ignorant muggle patrons find books on stupid subjects Pansy couldn't begin to comprehend. Why would anyone want to know how to build a birdhouse?

But it was also nice not having to worry about running into people she knew from school. The only friends of hers that knew she worked there were Draco and his girlfriend Astoria Greengrass, and they were always visiting her. She swore them to secrecy, not wanting to risk the likes of Blaise Zabini in the vicinity of the defenseless muggles.

There was also the added bonus that she had no other coworkers to pretend to like. In her youth, she would have thrown a tantrum at the idea of having no one to do her work for her, as that was how she operated while attending Hogwarts. But with only an absentee owner whose only wish was that she didn't burn the place down to answer to, Pansy had no qualms about reshelving books and calling publishing companies on her own. Once Astoria helped her figure out how to use a telephone, that is.

Yes, Pansy had grown to adore her quiet and for the most part, magic-free, life.

And then Hermione Granger came through the door. As if having someone from school enter the bookstore wasn't bad enough, the Gryffindor war hero she had bullied endlessly as a teen had to burst in and pop the bubble that was Pansy's fragile new life.

She hadn't immediately noticed her, too engrossed in perusing the spellbook Draco had given her, apparently worried she'd get rusty otherwise. Pansy vaguely registered the fact that someone had entered the store, and only looked up when she heard a voice say, "Parkinson?" in a surprised tone.

She now cursed the fact that she was the only worker. And with Hermione just staring at her with her big brown eyes and thick brunette curls that were much more well-maintained than the last time Pansy had seen her, wow, when did that happen? she had nowhere to hide.

The dark-haired witch cleared her throat. "Yes, Granger, it's me."

"I wondered where you ran off to," Hermione said with a wry grin. "Your hair is longer. A bookstore, huh?"

This threw Pansy off a bit. She expected the other witch to laugh at what her tormentor had been reduced to, or at least make some sort of snide comment.

"It pays the bills," Pansy shrugged, touching her hair self-consciously. "And it's quiet, no nosy reporters to bother me."

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, they bother us too," she sighed, referring to the members of the DA and the Order of the Phoenix.

"Yes, but when they bother you, it's to remind you of your heroics. When they bother me and my friends, it's to remind us the rest of the wizarding world wants us in Azkaban."

The fading smile on Hermione's face made Pansy regret her bitter words. She didn't want the Gryffindor's pity.

"I don't think being a bitch is really Azkaban worthy," Hermione joked, her brown eyes sparkling.

Pansy smiled. "Even if it was, I doubt that would have stopped me." Then cleared her throat.

"Listen, Granger-"

"It's okay," Hermione interrupted, her hair swishing as she shook her head. "We were kids, I think it's safe to say we've both grown up."

Pansy nodded, feeling this warmth surging through her chest. Damn it, she had a crush on the bookworm, didn't she? Curse her lesbian hormones!

She cleared her throat. "Well, you came here for a reason, right?" Pansy slid her rolling chair over to the computer and pulled up the archives of books. "Anything specific you were looking for?"

Hermione checked the watch on her wrist. "Oh, actually, I've got to be heading back to work soon. Can I come back tomorrow morning, like 8 or so?"

"That's fine," Pansy nodded, and Hermione turned to leave. The other witch opened her spell book again, and then took a deep breath.

"I could bring coffee. There's a nice cafe down the street. If you have the time, of course."

Hermione paused, turning back to face Pansy with a tentative smile. "Yeah, I think I could swing that. I could even meet you at the cafe beforehand, if that works for you."

A grin was now forming on Pansy's face as the cogs turned in her head. "Sure, why not do breakfast while we're at it?"

Hermione's smile was wider now, and her cheeks were dusted with a faint blush. "It's a date," she said with certainty, and Pansy watched her leave the bookstore with the feeling that her life wasn't exactly what she had hoped it would be, but a life with Hermione Granger was certainly a life worth exploring.


	4. Sometimes First Dates Do Go Well

**A/N: This one actually has some discussion of sexuality, and I'm proud that I got that in there. Another ship that deserves more representation.**

 **This is a muggle AU, in case it's not immediately obvious**

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 **Bisexuality:** Sometimes First Dates Do Go Well

Severus checked his watch as the waiter refilled his water glass. Lily told him to be at the restaurant at seven o'clock, and it was nearly half past. He let out a low growl. He didn't even want to be set up, but the redhead had nagged him day in and day out that she and James had someone great in mind.

Clearly not that great if they didn't know how to tell time.

He was ready to just go home and give Lily an earful when a tall man with sandy blonde hair approached his table.

"Hi, are you Severus Snape?" he asked, biting his lip. Severus nodded, and the man let out a sigh of relief as he sat down.

"I'm Remus Lupin. I thought you would have left by now out of sheer impatience."

"I was close to it," Severus deadpanned. "If you don't have a good excuse, I still might."

The waiter had returned and while Severus stuck with his water, Remus ordered a white russian, while furrowing his brow at Severus's words.

"Lily didn't call you? I called her to tell you I was running late. I teach English at the local community college here, and I had a meeting with a student that ran a bit long."

Severus groaned, annoyance for the redhead rising. He pushed his black hair back and rubbed his temples.

"No, she didn't, and I am definitely going to give her hell for it tomorrow."

Remus placed his chin in his hand, staring at Severus pensively. The dark-haired man frowned.

"What?"

"Lily had to twist your arm to make you agree to this, didn't she?" he asked.

Severus crossed his arms. "Yes. I don't date much."

"Really? You seem like such a warm and inviting person," the tawny-haired man quipped, and Severus scowled, thus proving his point. "Any reason why?"

"My job is taxing for one thing," Severus replied. "I'm a chemistry professor's assistant, so I spend most of my waking hours in the lab."

"Cool," Remus grinned, and Severus was momentarily stunned. Usually when he disclosed what he did, his date would look bored or ask, in a joking manner, if he could hook them up with prescription meds. No one ever seemed impressed or in awe of his job.

The waiter came back to take their order and bring Remus's drink, which he sipped as Severus continued.

"Yeah, it is, but it doesn't really leave much room for socializing."

Remus smiled. "At least you have a good excuse. I can't -insert social interaction event here- tonight, I have to work. Yeah, all week. My boss is a bastard, what can I do?"

Severus snorted, and regretted it instantly as Remus's light brown eyes brightened.

"I made you laugh. I'd call that progress, wouldn't you?"

The other man cleared his throat and willed the small smile away. "Hardly. I'm human, and therefore am prone to laughter when the situation calls for it."

"If you say so," Remus said lightly. "And I agree, books are much better company than people."

Severus nodded. "They really are. Although some select few are on par with books."

"You mean me?" Remus grinned. "I'm honored."

Severus felt himself blush under his fringe. "No, I meant generally."

"Yes, you did," Remus countered teasingly. "You like me."

Severus scowled. "So what? This is a date, isn't the point of the date to determine if you like someone?"

"No need to get pissy," Remus laughed. He reached out and ran a thumb over the top of Severus's hand.

"I like you too," he said softly. Severus wrenched his hand away and coughed.

"I'm not used to liking people, it's annoying."

"I apologize for being so likeable, then," Remus said wryly. "If I told you I was bisexual, would that help?"

Severus gaped at him before shaking his head with a snort.

"No, I like you more now. I can't count the number of times I've told someone I'm bi without them thinking I'm gay or confused."

Remus grinned. "I know, right!" he exclaimed, slamming his half full glass down. "Like it's real, no matter how much you want to pretend it's not."

The rest of the date went by with ease after that, and both men found themselves walking out of the restaurant and into the parking lot.

"So," Remus started, shoving his hands in his pockets. "This was fun."

"Yeah," Severus nodded. He looked down, overly fixated on getting his jacket zipper to go up.

"I kind of want to kiss you good night."

Severus looked up, and Remus was smiling sheepishly.

"But I won't if you don't want me to."

Severus coughed and dug his fingernails into his palms. "No, um, I mean, that wouldn't be terrible. Er, that came out wrong. I mean it would, wouldn't be-"

Remus leaned in and pressed a kiss to Severus's pale cheek. "Good night," he whispered. "I'll call you, okay?"

Severus nodded, too stunned to speak. Remus turned to go, and Severus blinked, beaming for what seemed like the first time in a very long time.

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 **A/N: Both of them call Lily as soon as they get home and demand each other's phone numbers from her, because that's what I imagine happening.**


	5. It's a Tonks Thing

**A/N: I'm proud of this one, but I also struggled because I'm pretty unfamiliar with non-binary stuffs, so I hope I do not offend anyone. Tonks seemed to be the best character to depict this. It's a series of drabbles through time, so I didn't notice how long it was until now.**

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 **Non-Binary~Gender Fluid:** It's a Tonks Thing

"Turn it red. Now gold. Red and gold? Damn, Andy, she's a smart bugger."

"Language, Sirius," Andromeda scolded from her place at the stove. Her cousin had come over for dinner and was currently trying to corrupt her highly impressionable daughter.

The sixteen year old shrugged with a grin. "She's three, Andy, she knows what the words damn and bugger mean and how to use them in a proper fashion. Don't you, Nymphie?" he added, ruffling the child's long mane of hair, flashing the colors representative of Gryffindor. Nymphadora laughed and changed her hair to a dark green and silver.

"I do, Siri, I do!"

"When she gets herself arrested, I'm blaming you," Andromeda remarked dryly.

Sirius gasped and put a hand to his chest. "I'm offended by those implications. Oi, you," he added to Nymphadora. "Get those Slytherin colors out of here, who are you trying to impress, eh?"

"Mummy," the girl replied shortly, sticking her tongue out at her cousin.

Andromeda smirked and raised an eyebrow at her cousin.

Sirius flushed. "Oh, well, I guess that's okay. But don't think I'm not going to mold you into a model Gryffindor such as myself."

"Siri, you're a damn bugger."

"He most certainly is, dear," Andromeda nodded with a grin, and Sirius pouted.

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"No! I don't wanna!" the seven year old screamed, running out of her room, and down the hall and stairs. She would have ran out the house if she hadn't barreled right into her father's knees.

"Whoa there, Nym," Ted placed his hands on her pajama clad shoulders to steady her. "What's wrong?"

Andromeda came down the stairs calmly, a purple frock in her hands.

"She won't wear the dress," she informed her husband.

"Well, she can wear a different dress to the birthday party," Ted offered, smoothing down his daughter's short hair, which was a fiery shade of red.

Nymphadora shook her head. "Don't wanna wear any dress. Dresses are dumb."

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "You picked this one out to wear last week, Nymphadora. You said it was your favorite dress."

"Don't call me that. And so what?" her daughter shot back, and Ted intervened before a real argument could occur.

"What do you want to wear to the party?" he asked, kneeling down to Nymphadora's level. She tapped her chin.

"A button shirt," she said finally. "And jeans, like you, Daddy."

Ted tweaked her nose. "Ask and ye shall receive. Go up to our room and pick one of mine out. I'll shrink it down for you."

"Yay!" the girl cheered, jumping and then bolting back upstairs. Andromeda groaned.

"How are you so much better at this than me?"

Ted grinned and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "She's a kid, Andy, and kids are fickle. You can't take what they say to be absolute."

Andromeda leaned her head on his shoulder. "You're right." She cleared her throat. "Come on, if we leave her in there too long, she'll open our honeymoon drawer, and I'm not ready for those questions."

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"Nymphadora Tonks?" Professor Flitwick squeaked from his podium, his head barely poking out from on top of it, despite the many books he was standing on top of.

A pigtailed head of mousy brown with dark blue streaks straightened from the back of the room. "Here. Professor, could I make a request?"

Flitwick looked distracted as he shuffled the papers in front of him. "Yes, of course, dear."

The girl coughed. "Could everyone just call me by my surname?"

The other students turned in their seats to stare at her blankly.

"It's just I really don't like my first name and even shortening it doesn't make it less atrocious, so um, yeah."

Flitwick nodded and went back to calling roll, and first year hunkered back down, the tips of her pigtails changing to a dusty pink that matched her cheeks.

"Charlie Weasley?"

"Here," the redhaired boy in the seat beside her said. He grinned and stuck out his hand.

"Hi, I'm Charlie."

"I heard," she remarked dryly, returning the handshake with slight amusement. "Tonks, and I don't have to say my name again, do I?"

Charlie shook his head. "Nah, I get it. My last is Weasley. Weasley."

"At least your first name is legitimate," Tonks countered. "My mum made up my name, I'm sure of it."

"Maybe she just didn't think of girls' names," Charlie shrugged. "My mum had all boys and then my sister came along and got stuck with Ginevra."

"Better than Nymphadora," Tonks remarked, sticking a finger down her throat and miming a gag.

Charlie laughed. "I like you, you're not like other girls."

"I'm really not," Tonks insisted with a mysterious raise of her eyebrow. "All metamorphmagi are actually aliens from outer space."

The two first years laughed again, forming the beginning of a strong friendship.

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"You got detention again?" Marcy groaned as a teen with spiky blonde hair sat down across from her. "Jacobs?"

"Who else?" Tonks shrugged, reaching forward to scoop mashed potatoes onto his plate. The new DADA professor had been hell bent on making sure Tonks spent as much free time as possible with him.

Marcy shook her head, brown curls flying to and fro. "What'd he get you for today?"

"My uniform," Tonks replied. "Because pants are masculine? Even though they fit a female body better anyway? Either way, I'm supposedly breaking dress code."

"Did you tell him you're a guy today and you'll wear whatever you damn well please?" Charlie asked, plopping down beside Marcy and grabbing a leg of chicken.

Tonks laughed, scratching the stubble he had added to his face. It had been a point of envy with his male friends. "I used fouler language than that, but yeah, basically. And what are you doing over here in Badger Town? The Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor match is tomorrow, shouldn't you be with your team, star seeker?"

Charlie waved a hand. "We'll be fine, it's you lot that have to worry. We lions are predators."

"You tripped in the halls on your way to Potions this morning and got rosebud juice in your hair. Hardly predatory, in my opinion," Marcy snorted, and Charlie stuck his tongue out at her.

"Real mature, Weasley."

Tonks rolled his eyes at his friends. "Anyway, Jacobs probably owled my parents and I'm gonna get the standard 'stop getting in trouble for dumb shit' lecture tomorrow. With a bit of 'you're a fourth year now, act like it' thrown in."

The desserts had appeared, and Charlie put a plate of chocolate cake in front of Tonks. "Hey, mate, don't stress about Jacobs, he's a bastard, and he'll be gone by next year, right?"

"Long live the curse," Marcy grinned, raising her glass of pumpkin juice, and Charlie joined her. Tonks put his chin in his hands as he smiled, so grateful for his friends.

* * *

"Wait, so what did he say?" Charlie asked the metamorphmagus sniffling beside him on the ground. "Exact wording."

Tonks coughed, running a hand through their now short and spiky lime green hair. "He said he couldn't keep dating someone who was clearly making things up to get attention."

Charlie straightened up against the tree they were leaning against. "Nope, not acceptable, I'm going to find that twiggy nerd and-"

He actually made to stand up, and Tonks pulled him back down.

"Don't, he's not worth it," the seventh year groaned. Their head was pounding, and they rubbed their temples.

"I can't believe someone would-"

"I can," Tonks interrupted in a bitter voice. "My own mother didn't understand when I tried to explain it to her. Why should I expect some guy I've been dating for a month to get it, or put up with it?"

"Because you're worth more than being put up with," Charlie insisted roughly. "You deserve to be heard and understood. You deserve someone who doesn't just get it, but likes it, embraces that you aren't constant. Someone who wants to be with you because you don't fit the mold."

Tonks didn't realize they had started crying again until they felt the tears roll down their chin, and cleared their throat.

"Are you offering? Because no offense, dude, but I don't think of you that way."

"Shut up," Charlie shoved them. "Here I am trying to cheer you up and for what? To be teased mercilessly?"

"Yes," Tonks replied shortly, and leaned over to wrap Charlie in a big hug. "You're my best friend, you know that? I don't need a boyfriend, not when I have you."

The red-haired boy grinned. "Yes, well, I am the whole package."

Tonks raised an eyebrow and popped a jellybean in their mouth. "Correction. I am the whole package."

* * *

The Order meeting was over, and Tonks stood up and sighed, running a hand through their spiky bubble gum pink hair that brushed her shoulders. They liked days like this, when they felt feminine. It was easier to deal with other people when your legal first name matched the gender you were.

Not that anyone in the Order dared to give them any crap about it. Mad Eye would glare at the offender menacingly with his fake eye, and Sirius would loudly remind everyone present that it was his house being used as Headquarters, Tonks was his cousin, and he did spend twelve years in Azkaban. So Tonks knew they had support.

The only problem was Remus Lupin. Remus was a werewolf, and Sirius's best friend. He was also the most attractive person Tonks had ever seen, and they found themselves head over heels for him. He was the only reason Tonks stayed for dinner after every Order meeting. That, and Molly's excellent cooking.

But the metamorphmagus hadn't dated anyone seriously since Hogwarts, and those hadn't gone very well. So naturally, Tonks was a bit hesitant to ask Remus out

Tonks found their chance when Molly asked them to help Remus prepare the vegetables. The werewolf was peeling potatoes and smiled when Tonks entered the kitchen. Then they ruined it by slipping on a small puddle of water. Remus caught them easily.

"Damn it," Tonks cursed. "Sorry."

Remus steadied them with a grin. "It's fine, you've tripped or knocked something over so many times, I've developed a sixth sense for it."

Tonks groaned into their hand. "That doesn't make me feel better, actually. Um, Molly said you needed help?"

"Er, nothing that I'd feel safe passing off to your accident prone self," Remus started with a smirk, and Tonks felt their cheeks redden as they pouted. "But you can keep me company."

Tonks raised an eyebrow, and couldn't suppress a grin when the werewolf blushed himself.

"Unless you don't want to."

"No, I'd love to!" Tonks insisted with much enthusiasm, flushing once more. They pulled themselves up onto the counter.

"You got any plans this weekend?"

There was no going back now, the metamorphmagus decided. All or nothing.

Remus shook his head. "I don't have any work to do for the Order, so I'll just be here to keep Sirius from burning this place down."

"That wouldn't be such a bad thing, you know," Tonks pointed out. "So no hot dates?"

"Hardly," Remus laughed. "Unless you were planning to hang around this weekend."

It was here that Tonks slipped off the counter in shock, crashing to the floor with a dull thud and a high yelp. They scrambled to their feet to gape a werewolf who was groaning and flushing.

"Sorry, I didn't mean for that to come out, I-"

"You think I'm hot?" Tonks pressed, because for all their boyfriends, they had never been called hot. "Like attractive?"

Remus nodded, his eyes screwed shut, as if he could escape the embarrassing situation.

"Even though I'm not, you know..."

They trailed off, and the werewolf opened his eyes. Tonks' pink hair had dulled to their natural mousy shade and their bangs had lengthened to cover their eyes. Remus gently pushed them out of the way to reveal the metamorphmagus's deep blue eyes.

"You look breathtaking all the time, Tonks," he whispered. "Whatever gender you are that day."

Tonks grinned and bit their lip. Remus's face was so close to theirs. "You really think so?"

"Yeah, I do." Remus then let go of their hair and cleared his throat. "Molly will bite our heads off if these carrots aren't washed."

"Right, I'll get out of your way then," Tonks said softly. "Um, Remus?"

"Yes, Tonks?"

"I don't have any plans this weekend either, so if you wanted to do something other than baby-sit Sirius, like watch a movie or something-"

"I'd love that," the werewolf smiled, and Tonks felt their heart melting as they left the kitchen, not even realizing they had knocked the knife holder off the counter.

 **A/N: I made Tonks be fem throughout her childhood because she didn't really see herself as different or come to the realization that she was fluid until she was older. That is all, thanks for reading this chapter:)**


	6. It Could Be Worse

**A/N: Another entry for the pride challenge, yay! This one took a bit of research. I didn't make it clear in the story, but Blaise has Klinefelter Syndrome, look it up and read about it. If you have this, I hope I did a good job depicting it, and if I made any inaccurate claim, let me know, and I'm sorry in advance. Muggle AU.**

* * *

 **Intersex:** It Could Be Worse

Blaise winced into the cushion of the cot at the slowly becoming familiar prick of the needle piercing his flesh.

"Just breathe, it'll be over soon," the nurse said soothingly.

 _That's easy for you to say, you're not the one with a huge needle of hormones in your arse_ , Blaise almost growled, but it wouldn't do to snap at the needle wielder.

"There, you're good for another month," the nurse chirped, peeling off his gloves. "To schedule your next visit-"

"I know where it is," Blaise sighed, sliding off the cot and pulling up his trousers. He grabbed his bag before exiting the exam room. He had been to the small scale hospital three times before. Three sessions consisting of "Have you noticed any changes?" "No, not really", and "Don't worry, you will soon."

But would he, he wondered, pulling his jacket tighter around his torso. The binder his mother had gotten for him did little to hide the breasts that had developed several months ago, and his hips, though slowly shrinking, were still wider than a teenage boy's should be.

"All done, Mr. Zabini?" the scheduling receptionist asked with a cheerful smile. Blaise nodded with a grimace.

"I need to make another appointment around a month from now."

The blonde woman nodded just as the phone rang, and she picked it up. Knowing this could take a while and not really having anywhere to be, Blaise sat in a nearby waiting area. Luckily, he had a book in his bag that he was pretty behind on.

"Are you a girl?"

Blaise lowered his book to see a little girl no more than eight years old in brown pigtails staring at him. He pulled his jacket tighter and said, "No, I'm not."

"I'm Eliza," the girl stuck her hand out and Blaise shook it, despite himself. "If you're not a girl, why do you have boobs?"

"Where are your parents?" Blaise asked, avoiding the question. Did kids this age know the word boobs? He certainly hadn't.

"My daddy's getting food, and my mummy is getting treated."

Blaise sighed. The kid was obviously worried about her mother and didn't like being left alone with nobody to talk to. He patted the chair beside him, and Eliza hopped up there.

"What's your mum in here for?"

"Chemo," she replied simply. "She doesn't like me and daddy to be there. It makes her puke."

Blaise winced. Cancer? How was he supposed to put a positive spin on that?

"That does suck, but you know, sometimes medicine makes you sicker so that it's easier to make you better."

Eliza nodded thoughtfully, as if she were taking his words into careful consideration, and Blaise let out a sigh of relief.

"What about you?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you here?" she asked. "Does it have to do with your boobs?"

Blaise crossed his arms. "I'd appreciate it if you lowered your voice when asking personal questions like that."

Eliza bit her lip sheepishly. "Sorry," she whispered. "But boys don't normally have boobs, so why do you?"

Blaise picked up his backpack and leaned over it. "It's difficult to explain, but the bottom line is my body doesn't have all the proper things that make me a boy, so a doctor needs to give me them on a regular basis. And with time, my boobs will go away."

He wondered if Eliza had understood his explanation, or if she had even been listening all the way through. She tapped her chin.

"Does your medicine make you sick?" she asked.

"Sometimes," Blaise replied.

"Like chemo."

Though he didn't want to compare his hormone injections to chemotherapy, Blaise nodded.

"Oh, daddy's back," Eliza said, standing up in her chair and waving. "I have to go."

Blaise nodded. "It was nice talking to you. I hope your mom gets better soon."

He was surprised when the girl hugged him.

"I know you want your boobs gone, but you shouldn't be ashamed of them," she whispered. "Mummy's not ashamed of her bald head."

Blaise felt a lump rise in his throat. "And she shouldn't. Thank you."

As he watched Eliza leave, the receptionist called his name.

"Sorry about the wait, Mr. Zabini. Is the 20th of next month good for you?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, that's fine," Blaise said distractedly.

As he left the hospital and the smell of spring enveloped him, Blaise put his jacket away. If people stared at him, well, that was their problem, not his. It could be worse.


	7. Parents Can be Old-Fashioned

**A/N: Another chapter completed, woot. So I've never written Parvati, and I thought, as an Indian chick, I should. So here, hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

 **Pansexual/Omnisexual:** Parents Can be Old-Fashioned

Parvati groaned as the alarm clock on her nightstand screamed. She hated that thing, and had tried to blow it up with her wand on several occasions. But Lavender liked it. They said it reminded them of when their dad would have to wake up early to catch the train to work, and Lavender would get up, no matter how groggy and bleary-eyed they were, to say good morning and have a good day.

Which was a sweet story that melted Parvati's heart, but that didn't stop her from seething a bit every time she had to turn it off. Lavender had outgrown being an early riser and slept through the harsh beeping every morning.

Parvati silenced the alarm clock, and rolled over to kiss the pale forehead of the person beside her, sweeping their wispy blond hairs to the side.

Lavender's pale lashes fluttered open, revealing ocean blue eyes. "Morning, Par."

Parvati felt the tension from the alarm clock's rude awakening melt as Lav leaned in and kissed her softly on the mouth.

"Good morning to you too."

Lavender yawned and wrapped Parvati in a hug. They buried their nose in her dark hair, inhaling the spicy aroma she exuded.

"Oh, can't we just stay in bed all day?"

Parvati's reply of 'no, we are adults with obligations' was interrupted by an owl tapping on the bedroom window. Lavender got up to let it in, and gently prised the scroll from its talons.

"It's from your parents, Par," they said, handing it to her. Parvati quirked an eyebrow as she unfurled the letter and scanned it, her expression shifting from confusion to irritation as she crumpled the parchment up and tossed it off the bed.

Lavender now raised an eyebrow at the dark-skinned girl who was lying down again with her eyes closed and pinching the bridge of her nose. "Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing, really, just annoying parent stuff," Parvati replied with a sigh. Lavender picked up the balled up letter, smoothed it out, and sat back down at the edge of the bed to read it.

"Your mum's found you a potential groom?"

Parvati sat up, eyes wide open, and scrambled to the other side of the bed to snatch the letter out of Lavender's hands. "This isn't yours to read, and it's nothing for you to worry about."

Her significant other scoffed, their blue eyes flashing. "My girlfriend is planning on getting married to someone else, I'd say that's more than worrisome."

The dark-haired girl shook her head. "My mother just does these things, looks for husbands for me. It's nothing serious and I tell her no, but she just won't stop."

Lavender sighed and ran a hand through their short blond hair. "I suppose that's tame for her. I'm sorry, I just-"

"Don't apologize, this is why I didn't tell you," Parvati interrupted, wrapping them in a hug from behind. "I didn't want to upset you. My parents think that if they send me prospects, I'll magically become interested in hetero marriage."

"And they don't know that you're currently dating and living with your genderqueer significant other?" Lavender inquired, a hint of amusement in their tone.

Parvati shook her head, her chin sliding over Lavender's shoulder. "They know we live together, but they think we're just roommates."

"So tell them you don't want an arranged marriage because you're already seeing somebody, simple."

"You know nothing about Indian parents, do you?" Parvati deadpanned. "Or at least my parents. They wouldn't understand, they're just too old-fashioned."

Lavender narrowed their eyes determinedly. "You aren't ashamed of me, are you?"

Now the blond didn't seriously think that, but it fired Parvati up, and she gripped her partner in an even tighter hug.

"Of course not. I loved you when we were just best friends in school and just because you made some discoveries about yourself since graduation doesn't change that!"

Lavender grinned and kissed the back of Parvati's hand. "I love you too. And it's because I love you that I think you need to tell your parents about us. If only," they added as Parvati groaned into their neck, "so that your mum stops with the groom shopping."

"And if everything goes wonky and I eventually have to choose between you and my family?" Parvati posed dully. Lavender's chest tightened at the thought, but they shook their head.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, why don't you write your parents back and invite them for dinner here?"

Parvati nodded as she released her grip on Lavender. "Okay, but if they're mean or judgemental, I'm kicking them out. And I should write Padma and let her know I may be disowned, so she can prepare to be the only daughter."

Lavender snorted at the semi-serious tone in their girlfriend's voice. "Such a pessimist."

"Good thing you love me," Parvati quipped. Lavender pulled her closer to kiss her firmly.

"Right. Now back to our discussion of staying in bed all day."

Parvati smirked. "Why confine ourselves to just the bed?"

"I may love you more now," Lavender said seriously before Parvati giggled and kissed them back.


	8. In Which Rose Knew All Along

**A/N: Remember when I said I was sure I was gonna get this challenge complete by the end of July? Ah, good times. I had this half completed for a while because I didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted to do. It was just, I need Next Gen representation, and Scorbus is the bomb dot com, so that part's non-negotiable. I do love it, and I'm posting it on my B-Day! Whoo, the best gift is gay fanfiction. Okay, I'm done being a goof, enjoy the fic.**

 **Gay:** In Which Rose Knew It All Along

"You're staring at them again."

Albus turned away from the couple and to his cousin, who had her nose in her latest novel. "Hypothetically, even if I was, how'd you know?"

"Because it's all you ever do," Rose replied, reaching into her bag for an apple without taking her eyes off the page. "Can't even hang out at Hogsmeade without you being a wet blanket.

"I can't help it, why's he dating such a-" Albus struggled to find the right word.

"Annoying airhead?"

"Aren't you friends with Jacqueline?" Albus asked, aghast.

Rose looked up from her book and nodded. "Yeah, and because I know her, I can say with total certainty that she _is_ empty-headed and annoying." She took another bit of her apple. "Good thing she's also pretty."

Albus took a sip of his butterbeer and scowled. "I just wish I could do something to make myself feel less lousy."

"Have you considered just telling him?" Rose asked, ever the voice of sound reason.

Albus snorted mirthlessly. "Oh yeah, that'd go well. 'Hey, Scorp, I know you're straight and have a girlfriend, but I just wanted to let you know I, your gay as fuck friend, fancy the pants off you'. He'd kill me."

"No he wouldn't," Rose said tenderly, putting her book down and grabbing his hand, giving him her full attention. "He's your best friend, and he'd want you to be honest with him."

Albus smiled weakly at his cousin. "He hasn't spoken to me in a month, I don't know if we're really _best_ friends anymore."

He looked back at the couple, who were kissing and giggling, at least on Jacqueline's part. His stomach lurched. "I'm going back up to the castle, I'll see you later."

"Wait, I'll come with-" Rose started, closing her book and putting back in her bag.

"Rose, I'm this close to crying, and I know you don't want to deal with that," Albus said softly, standing up and hoisting his bag over his shoulder. Before Rose could argue further, he left the Three Broomsticks.

The redhead rolled her eyes at the charms textbook her cousin had forgotten in his haste, and tucked it into her bag, as well as pulling her novel back out. Not a minute later, she was interrupted once more.

"Rosie! Hey!"

 _Ugh._ Rose plastered a smile onto her face as she looked up at Jacqueline and Scorpius.

"Hey, lovebirds, how goes things?"

Jacqueline beamed and hugged Scorpius from the side. "Oh, just the best. You know, Scorpi and I are coming up on our one month anniversary."

Scorpius's smile at her words seemed forced, and Rose raised an eyebrow shrewdly at that and the nickname, but wisely said nothing.

The blond coughed and asked, "Where'd Al go?"

Rose repressed a smirk at that, waved a hand. "Last minute essay for potions. You know how he is."

Now Scorpius raised an eyebrow, because he _did_ know how Albus was, and he never left potions homework last minute. Even if he did, they didn't have an essay due in there. Rose knew that, and knew that he, Scorpius, knew that as well.

"Hey, Jackie, I think I left my tie in Honeydukes, can you go check for me?" he asked. Jacqueline nodded and almost skipped out the door, but not before planting a wet kiss on Scorpius's pale cheek. Rose noted the subtle wince that escaped the blond at that.

"Okay, now tell me why Al really left."

Rose crossed her arms and smirked. "I'd rather talk about you and your girlfriend, _Scorpi_.

"Shut up," Scorpius growled, sitting down and throwing a napkin at her. "Couples shorten each other names."

"To be cute, not disgusting," Rose countered. "You really don't want to puke when she calls you that?"

Scorpius sighed and after a long pause, said, without answering the question, "She means well. Now, about Al-"

"Why the sudden fixation on my cousin?" Rose asked, cocking her head.

"It's not a fixation, you didn't answer my-"

Rose interrupted him once more. "Do you really, honestly like Jacqueline?"

Scorpius opened his mouth to insist that of course he did. He then promptly closed it, sighing.

"It's complicated."

 _Ah, so we're doing this the hard way_. Well, if Scorpius wanted Rose to drag the truth out of him, she could oblige.

"Try me."

Rose noted that Scorpius looked unwilling to talk, and yet on the verge of spilling his guts. He hadn't had his best friend to confide in, she figured, so he had been bottled up for a while.

"Jacqueline's great, she's really sweet, and she absolutely adores me."

"Of course, many girls do. Myself not included of course, on account I'm painfully aware of how much of a berk you are."

It was a gentle rib, but Scorpius was clearly in a turmoil, and scowled.

"I don't _have_ to tell you anything, you know."

Rose quirked an eyebrow. "I suppose that, considering I already know for the most part, you don't. But pray tell, who else do you have to spill your guts to? Not Albus, of course, for obvious reasons."

She wanted to laugh at the simultaneous blush and pale Scorpius exhibited at her words. Her mother was right, it was fun to strike fear in the hearts of your male companions. However, she was a good friend, so she kept a straight face and grabbed his hand.

"Okay, Jacqueline is great, so what's the problem?"

Scorpius sighed. "I like someone else. And I'm using her because I can't date this person."

"And how do you know you can't date this person? Are they already in a relationship? Are they not interested in the male species?" Rose asked patiently.

Scorpius shook his head. "They're a close friend, I just don't want to ruin things for what just might be a short term fancy."

Rose nodded, patting the blond's pale hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Albus entering the Three Broomsticks. _He must have realized he forgot his book._ Rose thought she could totally make this work.

"Can we not skirt around?" she said to Scorpius, who was facing opposite the door, and therefore had no idea Albus was approaching. "We both know who you're talking about, so you might feel better if you said it out loud."

Scorpius sighed. "I fancy Albus." Cue a soft gasp on Albus's part, and Rose surreptitiously putting a finger to her lips. "I don't feel better, Rose. It doesn't change the fact that he doesn't feel the same way, we might not even be friends anymore because I've been avoiding him like the plague, and I'm an awful person who's led a sweet girl on because that's what you do when you're the worst!"

Rose nodded pensively like a therapist would. "You seem very emotionally charged. Is it a bad time to mention that Al is standing behind you and heard all that?"

Scorpius turned so fast in his chair, Rose briefly worried that he had injured his neck. He stood up and stared at Albus, his eyes wide and hands in tight trembling fists. "Al! um, see-"

Albus was sporting a soft smile. "You meant that?"

Scorpius bit his lip. "Yeah, but I totally understand if you don't-"

"I do, actually," he interrupted with a smirk. "Very much so."

This seemed to throw Scorpius off even more, and his hand, which was holding him steady against the table, slipped. Albus steadied him, trying not to laugh.

Rose felt it was necessary to intervene once more. "Look, your girlfriend just came back, so go let her down gently and then you and Al can have gay moments galore."

Albus snorted at that, and Scorpius nodded vacantly, as if just remembering he had a girlfriend. He solemnly drifted off. Albus sat down in the vacant seat and shook his head.

"You knew all along, didn't you?"

"I haven't the foggiest clue what you're on about," Rose deadpanned. Albus grinned and leaned forward to kiss her cheek smackingly.

"Thank you, Rose, you're the best, really," he said warmly, getting up and going to join Scorpius.

Rose watched them leave with a sense of accomplishment surging through her. Packing up her things, she realized Albus never took his textbook back. _Ah well, it's not like he was going to get any studying done today anyway._


	9. That's No Woman, That's My Boyfriend!

**A/N: Hey! I found a loophole to write Jily for the first time ever! I usually only read it when it's a side pair with like Wolfstar, but I had a lot of fun with this. Also please appreciate the title, because I was just messaging ideas in my group chat involving my ftm trans friend, and we're so proud of ourselves.**

* * *

 **Transgender:** That's No Woman, That's My Boyfriend!

"It's actually lucky that we're graduating in a month," Remus said brightly. The redhead sitting on the bed across from him scoffed.

Alice put an arm around their shoulders and added, "Really, it is. You can put up staying in our dorm until then, right? Only problem I see is getting McGonagall to say the right name when she calls you."

"That's the only problem you see?" the redhead inquired in a voice dripping with sarcasm. "Nothing else?"

Remus sighed. "Li-"

Alice cleared her throat, and Remus corrected himself hastily.

"Sorry. _Luke_ , you have to tell him eventually, he's your boyfriend."

"Yeah, that'll go over well. 'Hey, James, I'm a boy, always have been. Yeah, so I'm going to need you to refer to me as such, that good?'" Luke flopped backwards and groaned. "Pass."

"Well, it might take a bit of time, but he'll come to terms with who you are," Alice said placatingly. "I did."

"Well, you're an absolute goddess and I don't deserve you," Luke countered, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Remus pouted. "What about me?"

"You can't even get pronouns right half the time, Remus. I'm so above you," Alice scoffed, and Luke snorted.

"Don't listen to her, you're trying, which is more than I can say for my parents." He looked down and sighed. "They think this is just a weird hippie phase."

Remus got up and sat down on Luke's right. "They'll come around too, and if they don't, you've got us."

Luke smiled weakly. "I know, and I do want to tell James, but I don't know if I can take any more rejection."

Remus shook his head. "We've known James personally longer than you have, believe me, this will not change a thing."

Luke opened his mouth to say something along the lines of 'but you don't know that for sure', when the door to the dorm opened and James stepped through. He paused at the sight of the three of them sitting in a row on his bed.

"What's going on here?"

"The beginning of the best four-way you'll ever have," Alice replied with a straight face. Luke burst into laughter, and Remus pinched the bridge of his nose and struggled to suppress a smile.

James laughed. "Does Frank know?"

"Darling, it was Frank's idea."

Remus cut in. "Alice, isn't there somewhere we need to be?"

He inclined his head toward Luke. Alice nodded and stood up.

"Oh yeah, Remus is super excited for the three-way we're having before the four-way."

Remus just shoved the girl out of the room, his groans still audible even after the door shut.

James threw set his bag down and plopped down next to Luke. "What was that all about?"

Luke shrugged. "It's Alice, are you really surprised?"

"Not at all. So what's up?"

Luke gulped. "Nothing, nothing at all."

James cocked his head and gave Luke that look he reserved for when Remus swore he remembered to eat lunch or when Sirius insisted he didn't set off fireworks in the staff room.

"Lily, you've been acting squirrely for a few weeks now. And you cut your hair, it's never been that short before, at least not while I've known you."

Luke winced. Of course James had noticed something was going on, and like the wonderful boyfriend he was, he hadn't pushed Luke to divulge anything.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that," James added hastily, taking Luke's silence and grimace to be directed at him. "I like your hair like this too, it's just really sudden, and it's not like you to make rash decisions."

Luke inhaled and exhaled slowly. "Yes, there is something, and I've been struggling to figure out how to say it."

James inclined himself to face Luke and grabbed his hand.

"No matter what it is, I'll be here for you."

Now Luke really felt like crying. He coughed.

"Okay. So, do you know what the term transgender means?"

James furrowed his brow. "No, is it a muggle thing?"

Luke shrugged. "Yeah, kind of, I've never heard of a magical person who was trans. Anyway, it's a person who identifies with the gender they weren't born as."

"Er, so a boy who wants to be a girl?"

"Yeah, and vice versa," Luke replied. "They feel like they were born in the wrong body, so they change things, like their hair and their clothes. And if they think their name doesn't fit their gender right, they can change that too."

Luke winced at the growing comprehension on his boyfriend's face. Well, it can't hurt to say it out loud now.

"I'm transgender, James."

James nodded slowly, but did not say anything. Luke felt nauseous, what if they really did break up? He recalled the old days in which he would never have imagined dating James Potter, the most annoying toe rag, let alone being anything but relieved at breaking up. He didn't realize he was crying until James took a hand across his cheek.

"Oh, Lils, don't, it's okay."

Luke shook his head. "No, it's not. I don't want to break up."

James widened his eyes at the redhead rubbing his eyes furiously. "Well, neither do I. Why the hell would we?"

Luke blinked red eyes at him. "Because you don't want to date a boy."

"But I want to date _you_ ," James said softly. "You're a boy? So what? You're still Evans, my favorite person to snog."

Luke snorted despite himself. "You're really okay with this?"

"If you woke up and wanted to be a penguin, I'd be okay, Lily," James grinned, and then frowned. "Wait, Lily is a feminine name, do you want to change it? I'm pretty sure there's a book in the library with baby names and etymologies, so you could see what you want your new name - mmph!"

Luke grinned against James's lips. "Thank you, James, you have no idea how much that means to me."

"I have a pretty good idea," James quipped, kissing the tip of his nose.

"I already have a new name," Luke continued. "Sort of, I don't know if Alice saying 'Luke sounds like the right name for a redhead of your caliber' counts, but I did feel more normal after she and Remus called me that a few times."

"Luke," James repeated, testing it out, and he smiled. "You know, it does suit you. Wait, you told them before me?" he pouted comically.

"I was worried, James," Luke said, tugging at a piece of his hair. "It's not like we've been dating that long, and I didn't think you'd understand. I just wanted to delay the inevitable, because I love you too much to let go of you that easily."

James smirked, and Luke's eyes widened as he processed what he had just said.

"Er, you know I just meant-"

"You love me," James grinned. "Well, how the tables have turned."

"Shut up, Potter," Luke scowled. James planted a smacking kiss on his cheek and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"I love you too, Mr. Luke Evans," he whispered in Luke's ear, sending a shiver down his spine. "And I always will."


	10. Identity Crisis

**A/N: It's over, I finished a collection! I am so dang proud of myself. I'd like to thank gandalf547, because they've reviewed every chapter, and they're just a cool dude.**

 **I felt like it was fitting to put the questioning fic at the end, because it's like, here's all the ways you can identify yourself as, but also if you don't know, that's okay too.**

 **Also this was kind of a struggle, but like I did write a decent fic to end on, plus I gave myself some feels, so there's that.**

* * *

 **Questioning:** Identity Crisis

 _2011_

"So that's the boy Teddy's been writing about?" Ginny asked, as she and Harry watched from the stairs the two twelve year olds working on their summer homework in the living room. Teddy muttered something to the boy, Danny, he had introduced himself as, who smirked and pulled one of Teddy's dark green curls teasingly and let it spring back. Teddy half-heartedly slapped his hand away, a shy smile on his face.

"Yeah, they seem like really close friends," Harry replied. Ginny snorted, and her husband looked at her, confused.

"What?"

"Harry, come on, do they look like just friends?"

"Yeah? Friends mess with each other, Gin."

Ginny gave him her 'you're that thick, Potter?' look. "I know how brotherly interactions usually go, and I know Teddy. He normally has no problem retaliating, but he just brushed Danny off, and he didn't even put any effort into it."

Harry furrowed his brow. "You mean, Teddy likes that kid playing with his hair? Like-"

"Now he gets it," his wife muttered. "Yes, I think Teddy might swing the other way."

Harry nodded slowly, and Ginny was faintly amused by the panic in his face. Parental things always threw Harry for a loop, and sexuality was clearly a subject he was lost on.

"Calm down. I don't think we should approach him about it."

"You don't?"

Ginny shook her head sagely. "He's only twelve, he's got time, and if he wants to talk to us, then we'll be here. For now, let's just be grateful we can witness innocent things like this."

She inclined her head to where Teddy and Danny were whispering to each other, and Teddy's attempts at stifling his giggles were for naught.

"I know he's not really ours, but we're doing a really good job with him, right?" Harry asked, and there was an undertone of emotion that he'd only dare reveal to her, Ron, and Hermione. Ginny hugged his torso and rested her cheek on his shoulder.

"Yeah, we are. Remus would be proud of you."

That was all that was needed to bring a teary smile to her husband's face, and he sniffed, and pointed upstairs, to where their other children were waking up from their naps, if the sounds of James and Albus biting each other's heads off were any indication.

* * *

 _2016_

Harry scratched out another misspelling in his report. Oh, how he hated paperwork, it only reminded him how weak his writing skills were. He had certainly improved since his school days, thank Merlin for Hermione, but it was a pain still nonetheless.

He heard a knock on his study door, and without looking up, said, "For the last time, James, I'm not giving you the map, stop asking."

"Well, you can't say he isn't tenacious," a voice laughed lightly. Harry tossed his report onto his desk and smiled at his godson.

"No, we certainly can't and I blame Ron. What's on your mind, Hogwarts graduate?"

Teddy sat down in the opposite chair, and folded his hands. "Nothing." At Harry's raised eyebrows of disbelief, he added insistently, "Can't a teenager visit his godfather for no reason other than he misses him?"

"Of course," Harry conceded. "But you're shuffling, and your hair's a strobe light, so tell me what's bugging you, kid."

Teddy ran a hand through his now solidly purple waves. "It's - I don't know how to explain this."

Harry settled more comfortably in his squashy desk chair. "Take your time, Ted."

"I'm gay." Teddy furrowed his brow. "That sounded so much clunkier in my head."

He looked at Harry, and his godfather simply smiled. "I know, Teddy. For a few years now."

"You did? How - Oh, Ginny, right," the metamorphmagus shook his head. "Anyway, that's not my problem. I figured out the gay thing pretty easily. But then- this is just between us?"

"Of course, Teddy," Harry said softly, slightly worried. Was his godson in trouble? A vision of Teddy testing positive for some STD swam to the forefront of his mind, and he had to steady himself in his chair.

"I like someone, someone I probably shouldn't, but even if I could date them, it doesn't make sense."

Oh, romantic advice, thank Merlin. Sure, he wasn't exactly an expert on wooing men, but he'd do his best to help Teddy however he could.

"What about this person doesn't make sense?" he asked.

"It's a girl," Teddy replied, and Harry raised an eyebrow. Well, that was certainly familiar territory on his part, but he didn't really see why Teddy was in such a tizzy.

"Is that it?"

Teddy gave him a wide-eyed look. "Harry, I'm gay, I'm not supposed to like girls, especially Vic!"

The metamorphmagus clamped a hand over his mouth and his hair went bright pink. Harry's eyebrows disappeared into his messy hair.

"Victoire?"

Teddy threw his head onto Harry's desk. "Yes, she lured me in with her strawberry blonde hair and now nothing makes sense."

"So melodramatic," Harry laughed, pulling the teen back upright. Teddy's eyes were pale blue as he put his head in his hands.

"I finally got comfortable with who I was, and now I find out I'm wrong."

Harry sighed and ruffled his godson's hair soothingly. "Listen, Ted, just because you've graduated from school doesn't mean you're finished growing. The truth is, you never stop."

Teddy looked back up and smirked. "Did you get that from Hermione?"

Harry pouted. "I come up with wise things too. Sometimes."

"Rarely," Teddy corrected teasingly. "So what, I should just do away with a label?"

"You should do whatever you want to, without feeling like you need to adhere to some social standard," his godfather said. Teddy's hair shifted back to purple.

"Yeah, and you know what? I think I should tell Vic. She might beat me up, but that's a risk I'm willing to take."

Harry laughed, for Victoire had most certainly inherited her mother's temper. "You never know, she might like you too."

That shy smile from years ago had reemerged. "Maybe. You shouldn't give the map to James."

"Oh?"

"No, you should leave it out for him to nick," Teddy said. "With certain obstacles, of course, make him earn it."

Harry grinned. "I think that's a brilliant idea."

Teddy stood up, and was about to leave, when he paused, and turned around. Harry made a soft sound of surprise at the hug.

"Thanks for listening, Harry."

Harry felt his eyes tear up. This boy, as good as his, wasn't little anymore, and that realization hit him right then.

"Anytime, kid."

When Teddy left his office, Harry opened the left drawer and pulled out the map, running his wand along it passively.

* * *

 **A/N: In case it wasn't clear, my intention was Teddy's not sure if he's really bi either, but he learns that it's not pressing to get that answered right away.**

 **I loved writing these fics, so much, happy pride forever!**


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